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Los Andes Bourbon, Natural
Los Andes Bourbon, Natural
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Ernesto is a multiple Cup of Excellence winner, taking hope the experimental processing prize in last years auction, but he's also one of the most passionate and capable farmers I've met, with a deep understanding of soil, plant chemistry and coffees place in El Salvadors history.
This Natural is rich, boozy and yet has a clean finish, marrying the body and balance of a bourbon with the great sweetness that dry processing can deliver when done with skill.
Producer: Ernesto Menéndez
Variety: Bourbon
Location: Apaneca-Ilamatepec Mountain Range, Santa Ana
Process: Natural
+ Broader Context
Nestled in the Apaneca-Ilamatepec mountain range, Los Andes is approx 5 hectares in size, and one of the farms Neto owns alongside La Illusion, Alaska and Las Brumas, each of which has placed first in the Cup of Excellence between 2007 and 2024.
Neto is one of the most experienced natural processors, as well as having recently won the 2024 Cup of Excellence – Experimental auction. Whilst the coffee looks inconsistent and varied from the drying process, the cup profile consistently delivers classic ripe berry, dark chocolate and candy flavours from the combination of variety and process. His Natural from La Illusion won the 2011 World Barista Championship when the Salvadoran competitor used it in his milk drinks alongside the washed for espresso.
At Los Andes, everything is left to grow "wild" to create a more forest like environment where the coffee is produced in harmony with the nature.
This is also why Ernesto keeps the older plants around, instead of simply planting new ones. The plants age and grow into the natural forest environment that Ernesto is looking for and make the environment really special.
The FOB price paid for this coffee was 4,20 USD/lb. We're able to share some of Ernesto's beautiful coffees through our partnership with Steve and Joanna at Drop Coffee. Neto also produced the coffee with which Dale won the World Barista Championship in 2017, so being able to offer his coffees connects Ithaka with our past, and will be a bright part of our future.
+ Roast & Brewing Information
This is a funky number, and whilst everyone seems to love it as filter, as espresso its more divisive - One for the coffee geeks or a second hopper, rather than a crowd pleaser! That said, it works fantastically with milk and I think its one of the most complex cups you could find.
Espresso 20:40g 30sFilter 24:400g 3:30s
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